I took you for an overzealous moderator. My mistake, there are no such people on this forum. Of course it must be 'Phase Distortion' synthesis, I'm just wondering why on earth the marketing people at Casio came up with such an expression. I greatly admire the idea for the Cosmo / CZ / PD synthesis. I'm also deeply sorry that the concept was abandoned and that there never was a CZ-202, CZ-2, etc. A CZ-7 would be a beast of a synth, outperforming everything else on the market: PD synthesis takes so little CPU power that even on a mobile phone processor there really would be no limits. PD synthesis is done by fetching waveform values from a sin look-up table at a non-constant rate. An accurate name for it would have been 'sin-table-fetch-rate-modulation' or 'rate-modulation' for a short. It happens that a sin look-up table is just a software optimization technique for the sin function, widely used when CPUs can not calculate it themselves. If we forget the detail that the sin function has been implemented with a look-up table, then: 'sin-table' -> 'sin' -> 'signal' 'fetch-rate' -> 'frequency' My conclusion is that 'Phase Distortion' synthesis is more accurately described by the words 'Frequency Modulation', a modulation of the sin signal so deep as to halt it for a while and where the modulator is complex and contains higher frequencies than the carrier itself, but it still is frequency modulation. At the time the CZ line was launched another Japanese company was already using the words 'Frequency Modulation' to describe a completely different (and less clever) approach to sound synthesis and Casio probably had to come up with some different wording. I read a vague statement on the web saying that Yamaha still managed to sue Casio for patent infringement, does anyone have any details on this? If this is true it should be a clear case against patent law (abuse). Joaquim p.s. Patent law is probably not bad, it's just being widely ignored, I think. Patent offices make a lot more money from the patent applications that are granted, and indirectly so do lawyers and other people involved. The requirement that 'patents must not be obvious for specialists on the subject matter' should kill 95% of patent applications, the same 95% that result in bad patents. This is true at least for the subjects I'm familiar with. --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Summa" <flotorian@...> wrote: > > I think you missunderstood me, this wasn't a request ;) > > Btw. if you don't use Phase Distortion, Phase Modulation, Waveshaping > or what ever you call the synthesis, it'll be far from a CZ... > > ...Summa > > On 10 Apr 2008 at 18:57, jdcx64 wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > Yes I'm excited about Synthmaker but I don't work for the company, I > > first saw the software last night. > > > > I thought it would be of interest to CZ the list because it probably > > is the only way non-programmers can play with CZ synthesis, and I > > don't mean just emulate a CZ but take CZ synthesis to new heights: > > more voices, real noise, real resonance, a more direct user interface. > > > > (I don't call it 'phase distortion' synthesis because I don't like the > > expression - the 'distortion' word suggests something different) > > > > About the cost: I think we should be able to talk about non-free > > software. The personal edition costs less (but the plugins or software > > you make can not be sold). There is a demo. If you use it at home you > > only pay if you want to. > > > > This is a nicer than average list (I know what I'm talking about), I > > wouldn't want to send spam to it or start an off-topic discussion. > > > > Joaquim > > > > --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Summa" <flotorian@> wrote: > > > > > > Hi Joaquim, > > > > > > with a price of 185 Euro this isn't exactly freeware nor is it very > > > much on topic. I'd prefere to keep this forum free of spam and I'm > > > not able to tell a part between postings of an enthusiastic user and > > > firm employees... > > > > > > I hope you understand! > > > > > > ...Summa > > > > > > > > > On 10 Apr 2008 at 16:58, jdcx64 wrote: > > > > > > > Yesterday I was shown a piece of software that may be of interest > > > > to many people on this list: www.synthmaker.com is an amazing > > > > graphical tool for synth development. Component modules can be > > > > chosen chosen from a selection of buttons, midi things, > > > > oscillators, envelopes. filters, etc. and placed on the working > > > > area, and their input/output terminals connected with virtual > > > > patch cables. The modules are made of other modules and C-like > > > > code. The insides of modules are available for inspection and > > > > editing, and new modules can be created. Module code is translated > > > > into DSP-like (4 floating point operations per clock cycle SSE > > > > pentium) code that runs in real time on a per sample basis, and > > > > amazingly you can have a look at the actual SSE instructions. One > > > > of the pre-made demo projects is a virtual TB-303, a real one, not > > > > a rompler. The software has also been used to make CZ-like > > > > emulators. The greatest: if you build something worthy you can > > > > save it as a stand-alone executable and distribute it for free or > > > > for profit. If you're interested download the demo and have a look > > > > at the forums. I'm trying to overcome my MS phobia and have a > > > > windows PC on my desk just to use it. > > > > > > > > Joaquim > > > > > > -- > > > > > > CZ/VZ mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CZsynth > > > FMHeaven mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fmheaven/ FS1R > > > mailing list : http://www.ampfea.org/mailman/listinfo/fss-list > > > Vokator mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vokator > > > > > > http://www.summasounds.de/ > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > CZ/VZ mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CZsynth > FMHeaven mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fmheaven/ > FS1R mailing list : http://www.ampfea.org/mailman/listinfo/fss-list > Vokator mailing list : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vokator > > http://www.summasounds.de/ >
Message
Re: CZ-Synthesis
2008-04-11 by jdcx64